Winno wing-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N 3,258. Patented Sept. 9, 1843.

E IEW- 1. STARR.

Grain Winnower.

No. 3,258. Patented Sept. 9, 1843.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

riniTnn sTATEs PATENT orrron.

JAMES STARR, OF NEW LISBON, OHIO.

WINNOWING-MACHINE.

Specification of. Letters Patent No. 3,258 dated September 9, 1843.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, JAMES STARR, ofthe town of New Lisbon, in the countyof Golumbiana and State of Ohio,have invented a new and.usefulImprovement in the" Construction of Overblast Fanning-h Iills forCleaning Various Kinds of Grain; and I do hereby declare that thefollowingis a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction andoperation of the same, refer-.

ence being had to the annexed drawings,

making a part of this specification, in.

which- 1 Figure 1, 1s a perspective view ofthe front and one side, andFig. 2, is a 'perspective view of the same front ands de, 111

a disconnected condition. Fig. 3, is aperspective view of the otherside, and of the rear, or, back end Fig. d is a longitudinal section.

It is constructed with a frame of five cross-tie is mortised into eachof the two posts near the front end, to whichthe sides are nailed, withits upper sidetwo inches from the tops of the posts. The lower crosstieis mortised into the same posts with its upper side nine inches andfiveeighths from the lower end of the posts. The tenons at the one endof the upper and lower crossties, extend through the post C, in Fig. 3,

and enter thefifth .post D, asishown in Fig.

3, which they connect firmly with the frame, leaving however a space ofabout two inches between the posts, to afford suific entroom for thewheel and pinion to worln These three posts are also connected by aboard one inch thick and about five lnches wide, which is nailed againstthe posts on the rear side, at their lower ends, as shown at F, in. Fig.3. The two posts near the rear or,

back end, are four feet and four inches high, and are also connected bya cross-tie, of the same. width and thickness as the one describedabove, which is nio-rt-ised intothem, with its upper side two inchesfrom the tops of the posts, and by a board one inch thick and fifteeninches wide, which is nailed against the posts on the rear side, withits upper edge placed against the lower edge of the two sides ofthemill, and extending to the outside of each of ,thetwo posts, asrepresented at E, in Fig. 3. f i I Theframe thus made, is two feet andthree inches wide in the clear, and the front and rear, or, back postsare two feet andsix inches and a quarter apart. 1 The two sides arestraight and their upper edges are also straight, and are placed againstthe underside of the cross-tie connecting the two front posts, they arenailed to the inner side of the posts, with theirupper edges in ahorizontal position. 1 They are .made of inch boards, andare four feet,nine and a half inches in their entire length, including thesemi-circular front when attached to the mill asirepresentedin Fig. 1,exclusive of the thickness of the hoop, which is nailed on theouteredgeofthe semi-circular part of the sides. 1 At, the front posts, or,widest place, the sides are three feetbroad, exclusive ofthe thicknessof the inclined plane at the bottom, and-the board at the top, both ofwhich are nailed on the outer edge of the two sides. At the posts nearthe rear end, the sides ELIGilZWO feet wide, .thecorners at this end ofthe sides, may either be left square, or rounded off atthe upper corner,

and cutout with a curve at the lower, as represented at 0, 0, in Fig. 1,or in any other manner that the fancy of the constructor may dictate. ii

The, semi-circular part is not quite the half of a circle, but so far asit extends, it corresponds with the circumference: of a circle with aradius offifteen inches and one eighth; its center is the axis of theshaft to which the fans} are attached. There are two strips, about twoinchesand ahalfwide, andoone inch; thick,.yfastened to it on each side,as represented at (Z, (Z, in Fig. 1, all of which project over itsstraight edge about three. inches, the lower, sides ofthe projection ofthesestrips, are cut in a dove-tail, as represented at E, E, E, E, inFig. 2,. and fitted toenter the mortices f f f f, as repre sented atFig. 2, with suflicient room. to receive the wedges, g g, as showninFig. 2, on .theiupper side, by which means it is firmly attached tothe other part, as represented in Fig. 1. The otherends of the two lowerstrips are left long enough to project about six inches beyond thesemicircular side, and are made to answer the purpose of handles to liftthe mill by; as represented in all the figures. By removing the wedgesc, e, in Fig. 1, and the corresponding ones on the other side, it may atany time be disconnected as represented in Fig. 2.

Both sides of the mill have also oval, or, elliptical holes cut throughthem; which have the same point, for their center, that thesemi-circular front has, to admit air, which are about eighteen inchesand three quarters long, and about eleven inches wide, as represented ata, a, in Fig. 4. Each side is provided with a slide, or, damper, whichis placed bet-ween the front and rear posts of the frame, as representedat a, in Fig. 8, and is made to slide in the grooves of two strips, thatare nailed on the sides of the mill, one of which is placed near theupper edge of the oval, or, elliptical hole, and the other at the loweredge, as represented at B, B, Fig. 3. I

The lower edges of the sides of the mill, from the rear, or, back end,continue straight, or, horizontal for a distance of twenty-seven inchesand a quarter, the point where the upper part of the inclined plane isintersected there they make an angle of about seventy degrees, below thehorizon, and continue in that direction for about two inches and threequarters, where the inclined plane makes an angle. There the lower edgesmake another angle of about twenty nine degrees, depressed below thehorizon, and continue for the distance of about nineteen inches and ahalf, which brings them within one half inch of the front side of thefront posts; where the straight, or perpendicular ends of the sidesproper, will be met by the straight edges of the semicircular part,which should be made to enter in between the front posts, about one halfinch, which will give it greater firmness.

Close against the rear side of the upper cross-tie that connects thethree front posts, is placed a board G, in Fig. 3, fourteen inches broadand one half inch thick, and forms the top of the mill, under thehopper, it is nailed on the upper edge of the sides: close against thistop board is fitted the end of a strip of board, one half inch thick,and about fourteen inches and three quarters long, and two inches andone eighth broad, at the end next the above described top board, and oneinch and a half at the other end, it is nailed on the edge of the side,its outer edge, is even with the side of the mill and runs lengthwise,its width extends inward and closes up the space not required for themot-ion of the shoe and hopper. There is one on each side of the hopper.It is represented at H, in Fig. III.

The hoop is made by fitting a strip of board, about four inches and ahalf wide and one inch thick, on the outside of the up per part of thesemi-circle, close against the cross-tie with one edge, as shown at f,in Fig. 1. The other edge is made to lap on the upper side of anotherpiece of the hoop which is one half of an inch thick, which is shown at,72 in Fig. 1. This second piece of the hoop, extends down nearly to themiddle of the semi-circle, where there is another strip of seven inchesin width, fitted at the upper edge to lap on the piece of hoop abovementioned, and the lower edge is fitted in the same way, on the otherpiece of hoop ex tending from thence downward, near to the lower side ofthe semi-circle, as represented at G, in Fig. 1, at the lower cross-tieis another strip of the same dimensions, as the one at the top, fittedagainst it with one edge,-and the other edge is made to fit on the lastmentioned piece of hoop, similar to the piece on the top, as representedat I, in Fig. 1. The remainder of the hoop is fitted to slide in acircular groove, half an inch wide, that is cut in the inside of each ofthe side boards, and corresponding with the circumference of thecircular front, until it approaches the top edge of the side boards,within about nine inches as represented at, B in Fig. 4.

The inclined plane C, Fig. 4, designed to receive the grain as it passesfrom the screen is formed by nailing a board from one half to threequarters of an inch thick, on the lower edges of the two sides,commencing at the broadest part of the sides, and extending it downuntil it is even with the front side of the front posts, and on theupper side of the board nailed against the front posts at their lowerend. The board is about nineteen inches and a half long, and mustproject suiliciently at the angle at,

D in Fi 4 to la on or cover the thickness of the other board,which isfrom three eights to one half of an inch thick, and forms the other partof the inclined plane, from the angle upward, it is also nailed on theedges of the sides from the angle to the straight or horizontal part ofthe lower edge of the sides at, E, in Fig. 4, where the board isdiminished in width, so as to enter a groove cut in the inside of eachof the side boards, and is continued in a straight line with thedirection of the plane from the angle, for the distance of twelve inchesand a half from the point of said angle at D in Fig. 4. This part of theinclined plane, also joins one end of the screen box, the other end isformed by nailing a board, from three quarters of an inch, to an inch inthickness, and about one foot in width or height, in a slanting positionbetween the sides of the mill, from the outside, the upper V and threequarters,in, from the rear end of the sides, and about one foot from theinclined plane: The bottom board should be oneinch in thickness and alsonailedin between the sides at their lower edge, from the outside, asshown at Fig. 4:. The tailboard is about three quarters of an inch thickand about nineteen inches broadit is placed with its upper edge even,Wlilllthe rear. or back end .of'the mill, and about nine inches .andfive eighths, below the upper edges of the sides, it extends downward ina slanting position, and rests on the .upper edge of the board that isnailed against the lar, and are seven; inches and seven eighths of aninch broad, the upper edges of the sides form an .-angle,elevated abovethe horizon of about eleven degrees, and are three feet and five and aquarter inches long the lower edges form an angle depressed below thehorizon of about. twenty degrees, and are eighteen inches and fiveeighths long, as represented at H, in Fig. 4:. At .thispoint anotherangle is made, andforms what may be considered, as the frontedge ofthesides of the shoe by continuing in a straight line toward a point atI, in Fig. 4: on the upper edge of the sides, which is twentyinchesand ahalf from the rear orperpendicular .ends of the sides, until the pointis approached within two inches and five eighths at, K, in Fig. 4, fromthence the line continues parallel to the upper edges of the sidesalready described; leaving a strip of two inches and a half broad, asshown .at L, in Fig. 4: which strip forms the lower. part of the sidesofthe hopper.

On the inside. of the sides of the shoe four grooves are cut, the first,or, uppermost one, at R, in Fig. e, is five sixteenths of an inch wide,its upper edge is two inches and three quarters from the upper edges ofthe sides at the rearend, at the other end it is close under the bottomofthe hopper which should have" the lower corner a little beveled, tofit it properly, it will be aboutithree inches and one eighthbelow thetop edge of the sides it is designed to receive the rake, S, at Fig. 4:.The second groovefrom the top is five eighths of'an inch wide its upperedge is only one half inch from the lower edge of the first groove, atthe rear end and three inches and a half at the other end; it is made toreceive the coarse sieve; the third groove is also five eighths of aninch inside, and is two inches and one eighth from the groove above withits upper edge; at the rear end and one Mich and seven eighths at theother .end, and is designed forthe wheat sieve. The fourth grooveis onlyone half inch wide and is one inch and one eighth from the one above itat the rear end, and seven inches and one quarter at the other end. Itis intended for the. screen. The second, third and fourth grooves, arerespectivelymarked, 2,-3 and 4., in Fig. i.

The sieves and screen are held to their places by an iron pin, thatpasses through astaple, driven in the inside of the side of the shoe, alittle above the upper groove, and extends down through all the sievesand screen and a strip M, in Fig. 4. The ironpin isbent in an angle atthe upper end, to ,preventthe pin from slipping down and for taking itout, and putting in by. There is one pin on each side of the shoe. Thepin is shown at T,in Fig. 4t.

The shoe is twenty one inches wide, from out side to outside; the sidesare held together; exclusive of the support derived from its connectionwith the hopper: by means of three strips of boards, at M, N, and 0, inFig. 4, which are nailed to each side of the shoe. M, is three inchesbroadand three eighths ofan inch thick, and is nailed on the lower edgeof the sides, withinone inch and a half from the rear end, N, is of thesame thickness, and is placed at thedower edge at the front corner andis one inch and three quarters wide, and O, is two inches and onequarter wide, ofthe samethickness and is nailed on what may be termedfront edge of the sides, three inches up from the lower corner.

.The shoe is suspended by iron rods, as represented at H,in.Fig. 2, ancat I, in Fig. 3. They are hooked at one end into staples, that aredriven in the sides of the shoe on the outer side. The other ends, arehooked over iron pins passingbelow small blocks orbrittoms Y, in Fig. 1and g in Fig. into the cross-tie that connects the rear posts, to whichthe small blocks are also screwed. The blocks have ;a notch cutout atonexend on the side next to the cross-tie, so as to afford sufiicientroom for therods to. play. The length of the rods, should be so adjustedas to have the upper edge of the shoe, at the rear end, about onehalf ofan inch below the upper edge of the sides of the mill.

The hopperis constructed by nailing its sides on the upper edges of thesides of the shoe as represented at 70, 72,.in Fig. 3. It is twenty and.a half inches long at the bottom and twenty-one inches wide. Thesidesare made of boards seven eighths of an inch in thickness. They are aboutfour inches and a, qnarterwide at the front end, and about six inchesand three quarters at the rear end. On the upper edge they are slightlycurved out, in the middle which gradually diminishes toward the ends,the

lower edges should be beveled so as to incline the upper edges outward,about three or four inches the ends of the sides must be fitted to makea finish with the ends of the hopper where they meet.

The front end piece is nailed on the ends of the sides of the shoe, andalso on the ends of the sides of the hopper as represented at P, P, inFig. 4, and makes an angle of one hundred and thirty five degrees, withthe upper surface at the sides of the shoe; it is one foot high in themiddle, the corners are rounded down to suit the height of the sides andmake a finish.

The rearend of the hopper is fitted on the upper edge of the sides ofthe shoe, and against the ends of the sides of the hopper, in suchmanner as to incline the top of the end toward the rear of the mill soas to form an angle of one hundred degrees with the upper surface of thesides of the shoe. It is five eighths of an inch in thickness and nineinches high in the middle, the corners rounded down to suit the sides.The lower edge is curved out as represented at L, in Fig. 3. The curvecommences about one inch and a half from the outer edge of each side,and corresponds with the arc of a circle of about two inches and oneeighth radius. The upper edge of the curve is nearly straight. On theinside of this end, at each corner a triangular block is fastened. Thepoint of the triangle is placed at the upper edge of the shoe, fromthence one side of the triangle rises perpendicularly, the other side isfitted to the side of the hopper both sides extend to the top of the endof the hopper. The straight or perpendicular edge of the triangle has asquare notch taken out, on the side next the end piece, as repre sentedat I, in Fig. 2, which extends the whole length of the block so as toform a groove for the gate K, at Fig. 2 to slide in; the ends of thegate should be made to slide in the grooves of the triangle, and towardthe lower edge they should be diminished so as to fit in between thesides of the shoe, which form the lower part of the hopper.

A leather strap is nailed on the inside of the gate with holes punchedthrough it, by which it is raised and lowered, and made stationary byhooking over a pin driven in the upper edge of the rear end of thehopper as represented at L, in Fig. 2.

The bottom of the hopper is nailed on the lower edges of the sides ofthe shoe, and should extend in between the sides, by having the groovein which the rake slides, a little enlarged at that place, so as toadmit it about one half inch. A block M, at Fig.

2, about two inches square at one end, and tapering to an edge at theother is nailed on the bottom of the hopper, at the front end. There isa hole bored in the block by which it is hung on a wooden pin fastenedin the middle of the cross-tie between the front posts as represented atN, in Fig. 2. The length of the pin and the depth of the hole in theblock should be so adjusted as to have the bottom of the hopper aboutthree inches above the top of the front cross-tie, and the front edge ofthe hopper perpendicularly over the front edge of the cross-tie.

The handle is attached tot-he arbor of the wheel M, at Fig. 3, which issupported by and works in two bearings fastened against the two posts Gand D, as shown in Fig. 3. The diameter of the wheel is thirteen-inchesand three quarters; it has one hundred and four teeth; it works in apinion hat is three inches and one quarter in diameter and has twentythree teeth. The pinion is attached to the shaft of the fan, which istwo inches and one half square. It is also supported by and works in twobearings that are fastened to two of the front post-s, D, in Fig. 3, anda in Fig. 1. The end of the shaft opposite the pinion has a double crankdriven into it, one end of which serves as pivot, the other end extendsthrough the shaft that communicates motion to shaker, as represented inFig. 1. The end driven into the shaft of the fan is fastened by a key,driven through the shaft and the arm of the crank. The crank is. oneinch and an eighth from the center of one arm to the center of theother.

There are four arms running through the shaft, to which the fans arenailed. The fans are about nine inches wide and from one fourth to threeeighths of an inch thick. The rake is a strip of board one inch andthree quarters broad and three quarters of an inch thick with tenons onthe ends to slide it in the upper grooves of the sides of the shoe, inthe rear edge of which are placed nine teeth, made of wire. They arealternately of the lengths of six inches and a half, and five inchesfrom the edge in which they are driven. They are set downperpendicularly about one inch and a half, thence making an angle. Theyrun parallel with the groove in which the rake is placed, as representedat u, in Fig. 4. The rake may be taken out, and its place supplied by athin board about six inches wide, usually called a chess board, which isused in cleaning wheat the second time. A conducting board may also besubstituted in the place of the screen, when it is not desired to screenthe grain to be cleaned. The shaker is a piece of cast iron with twoprongs that extend out at an angle of about sixty degrees. It is alsosupplied with a short shaft on which there is a pivot at each end. It isattached to the side of the mill by means of two pieces of cast iron ofa rectangular shape, which are screwed against the side of the mill withone side. The other sides project at right angles, and have holes inthem into which the pivots of the shaker are fitted so as to workfreely, as represented at 0, 0, Fig. 2. V

The prong of the shaker next the front end of the mill has two holesthrough it; the one is three inches from the center and the other isthree inches and seven eighths. They are designed to receive the hook onthe end of the shaft that communicates motion. The other prong has alsoa hole through it two inches and seven eighths from the center andanother three inches and five eighths from the center. The shaft thatcommunicates motion from the crank on the shaft of thefan has an ironrod attached to it, as represented at P, in Fig. II. The end of the ironrod is bent in a right angle, so as to enter the holes in the prong ofthe shaker first above described.

R, in Fig. 2, is an iron rod with one end bent so as to form a hook,which is hooked into one of the holes in the prong nearest the rear endof the mill. It then extends through a hole cut in the side of the milland is fastened to the side of the shoe at the other end, by beinghooked into a staple that is driven into it. i

The above dimensions may to some extent be varied to suit the opinion ofthe constructor.

The operation of the above described over blast fanning mill is similarto other over blast fanning mills. The fan is put in motion by means ofthe wheel with the handle working in a pinion on the shaft of the fan,which creates a strong current of wind that passes through the spacebetween the rake, sieves and screen. The strength of the current may beregulated by shifting the slides or dampers, which are much moreeffectual in consequence of being placed between the posts at the sidesof the mill, which affords the opportunity of using oval or ellipticalholes and admitting the air to sibly be made without it.

that point, instead of having the holes so as to require the slides ordampers on the front sides of the front posts. The shoe and hopper areput in motion in the ordinary manner as represented in drawings. Thestrips represented at H, in Fig. 3, on the top edges of the sides oneach side of the hopper, prevent the escape of the wind and confine itscourse through the spaces of the shoe with the rake, sieves and screen.The additional sieve afforded by the enlarged size of the shoe aidsgreatly in rendering the grain more clean than it can pos- The downwardset of teeth in the rake is important in the over blast mill; it has thetendency to throw the grain immediately into the current of the wind atthe front edge of the sieves and being thereby exposed for a longer timeto its action than it would be if it were deposited nearer the rear-endof the sieves, andconsequently the grain is better cleaned.

The advantage derived from the improved construction of the inclinedplane consists in having the grain discharged more freely through themill and not permitting it to rest at any point on the inclined plane,as is usually the case, where the lower part of the plane correspondswith the circumference of a circle, which must of necessity have aradius so great as to prevent the possibility of having the plane of therequisite inclination.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure to Letters Patentis- The construction and use of the rake with the vibrating screens andhopper in the manner herein described.

JAMES STARR.

